


When Opposites Attract

by slowtownes



Category: Life Is Strange
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Angst?, Character Death, Death, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Feels, Light Angst, Love, No Rewind Powers, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-10-20 03:56:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17614991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slowtownes/pseuds/slowtownes
Summary: When Max first stepped into Blackwell, she knew there would be a long journey in front of her. Meeting new people, re-meeting old friends, and her photography career.And, well, maybe that boy with the curly blonde hair, too.Work being rewritten. (Lady Lost)Thanks for reading :)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WooCow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WooCow/gifts).



> Hey! I know that I already wrote like, what, five chaps?  
> But I want to redo it. I didn’t like where it was headed.  
> Enjoy.  
> (This chap is the same.)

As family and friends entered the Arcadia Bay cemetery, the sky turned gray with rainclouds and the air was thick with overcoming sadness. Heads were kept low and eyes were filled with salty tears. On everyone's faces, streaks were visible on their cheeks. Max walks up to Chloe, who has her hands on her face, doubled over as the casket is lowered into the ground.

"I'm so, so sorry, Chloe. You don't know how much I am," She begins, putting her hand on Chloe's back while rubbing circles with her thumb. "She was a great person and inspired everyone around her." Chloe doesn't do or say anything other than cry, but with the power of their friendship, Max knows that Chloe is grateful for her words.

Chloe turned to Joyce, who was to her right and started hugging her, seeking more comfort. Max decided to leave them be and looked to her left, where Nathan was standing. He had a pained look on his face that gave away that she meant so much to him. The person who everybody adored, and the person who was never coming back.

Max had to admit, she was a stunning person, who left so soon and too young. All because Max needed to be protected.

As the priest was finishing up saying prayers to the families and friends joined together that day, a new tear was shed by Nathan, and Max moved in closer.

"I'm sorry," She whispers, and their hands intertwine. Fingers caressing each other, his hands were cold, despite it being a warm day. He was quivering and wouldn't stop, and Max squeezed just a little harder. "I wish it didn't have to happen. I know she was a great friend. Both to you and I." Chloe as well, but she didn't say it.

"She was," Nathan says.

"She was." Max echoes.


	2. The New Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for everything being rewritten; i just didn't like it.  
> really. didn't. like. it.  
> enjoy.  
> the chapters will be longer, too :3

Streets and houses lined with flowers pass the Caulfields' car, and Max rests her head on her hand, leaning against the window. Her blue eyes are focused on her surroundings.

"Are you excited, Maxine?" Her mom asks from the front seat. She smiles at her through the mirror.

She smiles back. "Yeah, I think I am. It's gonna be super cool to see Mark Jefferson!" She replies.

"Ah, the one you wouldn't shut up about," Vanessa remarks back at her, giggling. Ryan smiles in reply.

 _"Mom,"_ Max can feel the heat rise to her face.

"I'm kidding!"

Rolling up into Blackwell Academy's parking lot, Max saw a few people hang out around the sides of the building. They were paired, all the stereotypes. The jocks, the popular kids, the nerds, the artists, and the people who didn't fit into any of those categories were all grouped.  _It's like the 'stereotypical highschool', like in those movies I used to watch._

Hopefully, she'll be able to fit in. She was antisocial, not a huge social butterfly. She only did have two friends back in Seattle, and could they even be considered friends? Acquaintances, maybe. Kristen and Fernando. They never even exchanged numbers.

But it's okay, she's excited but nervous to meet new people, especially the teacher she mainly came for. Mark Jefferson, the once famous photographer in the eighties, but still sort of popular who now teaches at Blackwell. That's probably why they hired him.

They step out of their car, and the luggage on top of their car looks like it nearly fell off. "Oh my, that was a close one. Another mile and all o' this would've been dropped onto the pavement!" Ryan sighs in relief: "Good thing it wasn't,"

Vanessa takes a suitcase full of clothes and yanks it down. "Right."

They help her carry her things to her new dorm room, getting lost on the way and having to ask for directions to the dormitories. She looks at the golden plaque when they first walk in.  _The Prescotts'? Who are they?_

The thought leaves her mind quickly, as she almost drops a box of polaroids. 

A few girls are placed outside the dormitories, and one she noticed had a drone fly above the school, catching a bird's-eye view of the place. She might have to ask to borrow it later.

* * *

They help her move in, 'I love you' and 'we'll talk when we get home!' are said by her parents, and leave her to her duties. She sees the smoke from their old car against the black asphalt road, signaling that they're actually gone. And will be gone until Max comes back home for a holiday break.

She's already a little homesick.

Her stomach growls and one place comes to her mind quickly, and she gets up excitedly, but then hesitates. Would it be okay to see Joyce before Chloe? Probably? Maybe?

...Maybe not? Though it might make it a little easier. 

"Max, you  _have_ to see her eventually. Come on! Come on!" She talks herself up to it. "Ugh, okay." She gathers her messenger bag and leaves her room, 219.

She sees a small girl in a skirt wearing a blonde bun. She has a soft smile and waves to Max, coming over. She wears a golden cross necklace, probably telling Max to lay off the swearing.

"Hello, I'm Kate. Kate Marsh. I see you're new here?" She asks. Even her voice is soft.

"U-uh yeah, I'm Max Caulfield."

She nods. "Well, hi then, Max. If you'd like, I can show you around," She waves her hand in the air, not moving her head. "Show you where your classes are and everything. We can even compare schedules!" She says with enthusiasm. 

"Oh, that'd be awesome, wowser. Um, can we do that later, though? I actually have a place in mind I need to get to," She says back to Kate. Has she already made a friend? Or is this Kate just naturally nice?  _Wow, I'm asking too many questions today..._

"Of course! I'm happy you got into Blackwell, I think we could be friends, even!" She smiles. A real genuine smile, her hazel eyes squinting.

They wave goodbye to each other. Maybe Max has made a friend.

* * *

The  _ring_ of the bell when Max enters is too familiar but so distant. She's been here a million times before, she practically lived and was raised in this diner. It just doesn't feel the same.

The blonde lady she knows to be Joyce Price gets one look at Max, and stops cleaning the counter.

“My stars! Is that Max Caulfield?” Her face is pleasantly surprised. Her toothy smile fills the whole diner with an aura that would make anyone happy.

Max smiles back and waves. "It's good to see you again, Joyce." She laughs a bit, a little nervous. She looks down at the floor. "How are you?"

Joyce tilts her head to the side. "I'm well, thanks for asking! Oh, Chloe is going to be ecstatic when she sees you! You know how much she missed you those five years?" She looks down, and puts a hand on her hip. "It's a good thing she had another friend. But after her father's death, her whole life just went downhill. You movin' didn't help, either."

Ow, that hurt a little.

"I-I'm sorry Joyce, I was a horrible friend. I know I should've been there." She stammers.

"It's not your fault you had to move, Max, there was nothing you could do," She says and Max just nods and heads to a booth as instructed by Joyce. "Don't be hard on yourself."

"But I could've called," She almost whispers.

"The past is the past. Though it would have been very nice, you can't go back in time."

 _I know._ Max really wishes she could, though. It might've changed the outcome of Chloe's life. She hasn't seen her yet, but something inside of Max bubbles and froths and she doesn't feel like her meeting with Chloe is going to end well.

"Yeah," She says.

Joyce places her hand on the booth's table. "Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty.  _What_ do you want to eat?"

She answers "Belgian Waffles," and she looks down at her phone. Should she tell Chloe about her arrival? She's here, in town, and Chloe's house isn't very far. Maybe she should...

The plate of waffles is set down in front of her, and from a distance, she can see Joyce wink to her. Her eyebrows shoot up, and she looks down at her food.  _What's that about?_ She asks herself. She's halfway into eating when Max hears the diner's bell ring from behind her.

"Chloe!" Joyce shouts to her. "Come see Max!" And by now, her heart is racing. Now? Really? Oh dog, she's sweating bullets. Joyce called Chloe for her. Chloe is here. In the diner. With Max, five feet away.

She sinks into the couch. Max decides she wants to see her, though, so she gets up and stands.

This Chloe is completely different from what Max remembers. Her hair is short and blue, she wears torn clothes, black boots, and from underneath her sleeve, she can see a sliver of a tattoo. She actually gasps. This angers her past friend.

She laughs, not out of joy, but out of malice. "Am I not good enough for you, Max? Did you want the ' _other'_ Chloe Price? Too fucking late, dude." She crosses her arms. "She's gone, and not coming back."

"No, Chloe, wait!" She yells out.

"Nope, I'm not doing this. The fact that my  _mom_ had to call me instead of  _you_ is bullshit. Sorry not sorry, but I'm leaving!"

Max sighs. "Chloe! I was meaning to call you!"

"But you were going to push it off for another five years, right?"

 _No._ She wants to say.

Chloe throws her hands up in amusement. She gestures to Max, who is on the verge of tears, to the whole diner. She finally says: "See everyone, my  _be-e-e-est_ friend!"

"Chloe!" Joyce yells. "You know what, I think you need to go. Calm down. Go to Rachel or something, talk to Max later! You're just too sour now." And she happily agrees. She flips the bird to Max when she leaves.

Max sighs. This week was going to be a long one.

* * *

* * *

Max was back in town? What the fuck.

Chloe sort-of regrets what she said. She was just trying to see her again, but Chloe pushed her away.

But Max deserves it. She was a shitty friend.

God, she really needed to smoke. "Wanna go to American Rust?" She asks Rachel, who is lying beside her on the bed.

"Hella yeah, but is something wrong? You've had this look on your face since you got home, and you won't talk." She sits up to hug her. "'Sup?"

"We'll talk at the junkyard."

* * *

"So you're saying Max just came back from five years of radio silence?" Rachel asks.

"Yes, Rach." She takes a hit. As she talks, the smoke comes out in puffs. "And I don't know if I should see her again. Wadda you think?"

"Go for it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, go for it. She seems cool, and haven't you been complaining to me for the past..." She counts her fingers. "I don't know, three, four years to see her?"

Chloe sighs. "Yeah..."

"See! Just talk to her later."

Chloe's phone buzzes in her pocket. One new text from MC it reads.

__

 **MC:** Hey. Can we please talk later?

__

Chloe writes back:

__

 **CP:** We'll see

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEw chapter! Ahg

Max can’t believe her luck. Within five minutes of meeting Chloe, her ex-friend storms away from her, with a completely different style. She’s more punk now. And who was Rachel? Joyce had mentioned her when Chloe was ranting angerly at her.

The waffles sit in front of Max, cold with syrup soaked into them. She’s lost her appetite. After Chloe left.

Depending if Chloe actually would meet up to talk, Max might get to find out who the mysterious Rachel is. As if Chloe would want to talk, though. She sits in the diner, looking out of the dirty window beside her.

Strips of sunlight light up the booth.

Joyce walks up to Max’s booth, putting one hand on the table and the other on her hip. Max jumps at her appearance, but looks up at Joyce.

”Hey, Max.” She says. “I... I know Chloe isn’t going to give you an easy time with this. But, don’t worry.” She sighs.

She lifts her hand up and puts it on Max’s shoulder. “I know she’ll eventually warm up. She’s got this girl. Rachel’s her name. And she’s helped Chloe so much since her father’s passing. And...” she pauses. “When she thought you left for good,”

She stand up. ”Joyce, I’m still so sorry for that- I really never wanted to leave and hurt Chloe.” She looks down. “But I guess that’s exactly what I did.”

”Now, don’t blame yourself for that. You had no control over it.”

”But-“

”No ‘buts’, Max. Go enjoy your day. Meet with Chloe later. I’ll try and calm ‘er today.” She says, a warm smile playing at her lips. “And... I shouldn’t have tried to call her. Shoulda been you, hun.”

Her blonde bun bounces as she turns back into the kitchen. Joyce sends her one last smile before Max leaves the diner.

Max waves goodbye, and then she’s gone. A frown holds her face in place.

* * *

 Class starts soon, Max only has a little bit of time to roam campus before she’s hopelessly thrown into Blackwell with half of a friend. And oops, she forgot to get back to Kate about comparing their schedules together. If she’s lucky, she’ll have some classes with her.

If she’s lucky.

But she hasn’t had much of that today. Luck. 

She looks down at the cement when she walks to the entrance of the school, looking for a photo op, maybe by the fountain she saw. It was a bright and sunny day, perfect for pictures.

she sits down on the bricks of the fountain, watching the water make unrepeatable patterns as the colors of her clothes reflect onto it.

A boy sits adjacent to her left, reading a book it seems. She takes out her Polaroid camera to snap a quick shot of him. They flash of it leaves him startled, and he turns around to see who did it.

It shocks Max, but she probably should have expected it.

”Oh- I’m sorry you just... looked like a cool photo op. So I just-“

He speaks. “No, it’s okay... I was just surprised! Um,” He pauses, looking down. His hand is raised to rub the back of his neck. “Uh, my name is Warren Graham.” Looking back up, he offers a friendly smile.

Max pushes back a strand of hair in her face behind her ear, and the boy looks flustered. He looks away, to the water.

”Hi Warren, call me Max. Max Caulfield. Sorry again for taking that photo... But would you like to see it?”

He smiles, more relaxed. “Sure,” He scoots closer to Max. Not too close, just enough space between them to see it though.

Max giggles and looks into her satchel for the photo she took. When Warren looks at his, he gives an amazed expression, as if he’s never seen something like it before.

”Oh, nice shot! Those cameras are really neat, actually. How long have you had it?”

”Thanks, and I’ve had this forever... since my tenth birthday I think.” She sighs. “Need a new one soon.” She says looking at it.

Warren makes a humming sound. Not really in agreement, but not against it either. He grabs the book he was reading and closes it, putting it in his bag.

”You know, I’ve got a friend named Kate. I think you’d like her, Max.”

Max looks up from the photo. ”Marsh? Kate Marsh? I actually did meet her in the dorms the other day, super sweet person. She said she wanted to compare schedules later.”

”Oh, cool! On our first day she also came up to me and said if I wanted to hang out. Heh... I must’ve looked lonely.”

Max giggles at this. “Well, at least she was being nice. And maybe all us three could compare our schedules, see what classes we have.”

”Cool, uh, anyway. I guess I’ll see you later Max!”

”You too.” She smiles, and he walks away to who knows where.

Well, that whole interaction was interesting. But Max’s thinks it’s cool that she’s already made another friend on her first day. It almost made her forget about what happened in the diner earlier.

Joyce told her not to worry about it, so maybe she should take her advice. She’ll eventually see Chloe anyway, wheather she likes it or not. She’ll have to face her fears someday.

She wonders how Chloe got like she did. Other than her dad’s death and everything else Max might not know about, how had it formed the Chloe Price that Max saw today?

She looks down at the Polaroid she took of Warren.

If only it was that easy to become friends with Chloe again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> longer chap uUEgh :) i think anyway  
> sorry for the wait, too. writer's block isn't fun lemme tell you. thats why i was making new stories cause the writer's block for this story was huge and.... yeah. but i'm getting back into it!

Max's classes were getting quite boring after going for a few days, but given Kate and Warren were in most was pretty great. The only one she was actually somewhat interested in was photography class. Mark Jefferson taught the class, the main reason she moved back to Arcadia Bay. The more that she thinks about it, though, the more her heart burns with guilt.

She still feels bad about it. The words that Chloe had said are burned into the back of her head.

It's not that she didn't like the new Chloe Price, it was just very shocking to see her look so different. She knew that William's death hit her hard... but she didn't expect it to change her that much.

Warren and Kate sit across from her on the school's picnic table. They sometimes meet up there after school to hang out just a bit, and Max likes the scenery; it makes for great photos. But, she just wasn't feeling it today. 

Kate must've noticed something was up. "Max? Are you feeling okay?" Max had her hand holding up her head, and her eyes drooped to the ground. She sighed and held her head back.

"No, not really."

Kate looked away, Warren focusing on homework.

"Want to talk about it?" She offered.

"It- It might help. There's just not much to say. My...  _friend,_ hasn't gotten back to me. After I said I wanted to talk."

Kate folds her hands and adjusts her posture. "Would you like to have a tea date?" She asks.

"Tea date?" Max asks back.

She smiles at her. "I usually invite my best friends, but I think you've gotten to that point in just a few days." She says, and smiles a little more. "It's when I make tea and we chat about stuff. Books we recently read, or maybe how our pets are doing, it's kind of like make-shift therapy."

Max thinks for a second. "It sounds great. But I don't think I can or  _should_ do it right now. There are a few things I need to take care of first."

"Of course, come when you can! No pressure." Her watch jingles. "Oh, it's time to feed my bunny. I'll meet up with you guys tomorrow!"

They wave and Kate walks away, books in hand.

Max looks to Warren, quietly doing photography homework. Max walks to his side, which startles him.

"Hey, you've been pretty quiet today. Or, since you started that homework." He looks up to her. "Need any help? I'm pretty okay in photography."

He smiles a wide smile. "That'd be great! Thanks. I can never seem to get the material."

* * *

She lays on her bed when her phone buzzes. Warren's homework distracted her, but now with nothing to do, her mind is sluggish, trying to keep up with everything happening. She moves slow, like she's drifting through water or cotton. Thick and heavy. The past few days haven't been the best.

When she sees that the text is from CP, she immediately picks up speed, and sits up with her phone clutched in both hands.

\--

 **CP:** If u still want to have that dumbass talk, I'm here.

 **MC:** Please?? Can we meet somewhere?

 **CP:** My house don't take over 10 mins or I'm not letting u in

 **CP:** I got company too

 **MC:** Uh, okay, thanks for letting me come over by the way

_Seen ✓_

\--

She almost smiles, finally, she can see Chloe and talk with her. Remembering she has only ten minutes, she runs out of the door and through the dormitories.

She still remembers the road she lives on, following the sidewalk and speedwalking along the way. She takes in the surroundings and sees that some shrubs and lawn's have gone and died. 

She looks to her right, seeing a half-painted blue house that still has green grass.

A rusty old pickup truck is occupying the driveway. Where did it come from? A junkyard?

A quick knock on the door sends Max's anxiety spiraling, and it increases when the blue-haired girl opens the door.

"C-Chloe, hey,"

" _Hi_ , Max," She tilts her head, giving a fake-looking smile. "Why don't you come in, yeah?"

Max gulps, walking inside. Everything looks the same. "So...?"

"Let's go to my room. Rach is in there high as fuck, but that doesn't matter."

"Uh, right." Rachel. The same one Joyce kept saying, isn't it?

Entering the room, there's a few differences. A flag is draped across her window, and the desk along with Chloe's bed was moved. On top of her bed, though, is  _Rachel,_ spread out on it and her head hangs upside down. A joint is held by her hand, emitting smoke.

 _"Oh boy,"_ Max mutters. 

"Talk, Max."

She looks to Chloe and starts, but stutters. "I-I came because I wanted to r-reason with you, and be f-friends again."

The look Chloe make is a little scary but then she just starts to laugh. "Friends? After five years o' radio silence?" She looks down and calms. "I... I mean..."

"I'm sorry for what I did. I just didn't know what to say, and before I knew, I didn't say anything at all." She sighs. "I'm really sorry." She says quietly.

"Max, as much as I hate to say it, I..." She falls back on her bed, next to Rachel, who seems to be pretty high, giggling at everything. Despite this conversation being serious. She looks cute that way.  _What? No._

"I want to be friends, too. I just don't know. It's a little hard to look at you and be like 'that's my best friend,' because you  _abandoned_ me, and I just don't know if you could make that up."

Max hesitates, but she walks towards her. "I promise I will. I'll be a good friend, better! Just watch." She smiles.

Chloe returns it. "Then your job as first-mate starts now."

* * *

It's a little weird to be hanging out with them, Chloe and Rachel. She looks to a tired Rachel beside her, and thanks her in her head for saving Chloe while she wasn't there.

"Yo, Max, you should get high with us. It's hella fun." Chloe laughs.

"I-I don't think so. I've still got school tomorrow, and I've never smoked before..."

"Even with all of those Seattle art hipsters? I'm surprised." Max laughs at that.

"Funny, but no. I was never interested. Just in photography."

Chloe sits up next to Max. "You still got that old camera? Polaroid?"

She grabs her messenger bag from her side, and pulls out the camera, staring at her prized-possession. "You mean  _this_ old camera?"

"Oh, hell yes! Get some shots of me!" Rachel seems to awake at that moment, and agrees, all while bouncing all around the place. A few flashes of the polaroid appear, and then the photos slide out. Chloe and Rachel's stoned faces appear, and Max giggles.

"Models, I tell you." Max says and all three girls laugh.

Today is a good day.

"What about Blackwell? Treatin' you good?" She asks.

"It's okay, got two friends. And Mark Jefferson is pretty cool." When she sees the confusion on Chloe's face, she elaborates. "A photography teacher, famous in the eighties."

"Ah,"

"Other than that, not really. I've got my own dorm but... It's a little lonely. Maybe you can come over sometime...?"

She smiles. "I'd fuckin' love to. I think Rachel has got a dorm there too, but I'm not so sure." She pokes Rachel. "Don't you have a dorm room?"

The only sound she makes is a little  _mmfffph,_ and Chloe takes it as a yes.

"Guess we can all hang there sometime. Seems cool. Oh and why don't I take you to Two Whales tomorrow? Mom's treat!"

"Hardy har," She says, smiling. "But sure. I'd love to."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tell me if theres anything wrong with the chap
> 
> also holy fuck did you see that "Love is Strange" Is getting rewritten :O the first ever grahamfield fanfiction to ever exist  
> when i found out i was crying tears of JOY ugh


End file.
